Monty Don, in a recent Gardeners'World programme, recommended growing potatoes in a raised bed, if possible. He trialled them alongside those grown in the earth as usual and found the raised bed ones easier to grow and just as tasty and successful. Says it all!

Hi Pump ,this year we grew potatoes in 5 of our large raised beds, all well manured and weed free, raised beds are just so easy to use no matter what you want to grow ,once built and ready they are just so easy to maintain, but you have to watch the moisture levels as raised beds drain and dry quicker, earlies would be just right for a start and Charlottes were the allotments top spud this year ,our Winston were rubbish Kestrel ok, Cara main ok, good luck,, Alan4711

Hi, potatoe folk, I planted a variety of new potatoes in a deep raised flower bed about 12 weeks ago from 2 that had gone to seed in my veg bowl in the kitchen, I just stuck them in the ground and they took off, how will I know when they are ready for picking?